The Practice and Presence of God is one of the most beautiful and touching stories of Christian devotion ever written. Brother Lawrence was a Carmelite Brother known for his profound peace and deep relationship with God; many came to seek spiritual guidance from him. The wisdom that he passed on to them, in conversations and in letters, would later become the basis for the book. These two translations will help the reader find a more complete understanding of this wonderful and enduring story. The Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence are beautifully spiritual teachings that can help anyone have a closer relationship with God. And the short biography that closes out the books offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of Brother Lawrence.

    At eighteen she witnessed the civil unrest of the 1979 Iranian revolution and continued to live in the Islamic Republic during its most volatile times, including the Iran-Iraq War. In a deeply intimate and personal story, Saper recounts her privileged childhood in pre-revolutionary Iran and how she gradually became aware of the paradoxes in her life and community—primarily the disparate religions and cultures.In 1979 under the Ayatollah regime, Iran became increasingly unfamiliar and hostile to Saper. Seemingly overnight she went from living a carefree life of wearing miniskirts and attending high school to listening to fanatic diatribes, a Jewish girl forced to veil her body as the rest of the country, and hiding in the basement as bombs fell all over the city. She fled to the United States in 1987 with her husband and children after witnessing her six-year-old daughter’s indoctrination into radical politics at school. At the heart of Saper’s story is a harrowing and instructive tale of how extremist ideologies seized a Westernized, affluent country and transformed it into a fundamentalist society.

    Containing simple narrative, ecstatic poetry, complex argument, and discourse, Adi Da’s autobiography reveals the miraculous story of his unique incarnation and revelation in the west for “the sake of liberating all beings.” The revised edition includes an expanded description of Adi Da’s early life leading up to his divine reawakening in 1970, as well as revelations about the spiritual work of the great realizers in his lineage. "From time to time, there is a book that challenges, and eventually changes, the entire perspective of a civilization. In modern times, Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species was such a book–and, centuries before Darwin, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres of Copernicus (the first publication of the theory that the earth orbits the sun). The Knee Of Listening is such an epoch-making book–in an entirely different way. Appearing at the beginning of the third millennium of the Common Era, it carries a Revelation that has the potential to transform all future time. This book is not about how life on earth physically evolved, nor the design of the solar system (of which this planet is a part). The Knee Of Listening is about Reality Itself, the Reality within which this earth and its cosmic locale arise—the Blissful, Effulgent, Conscious Force of Being which is always so, and which can be located and enjoyed under every possible condition, and in every dimension of space-time."—from the Introduction by Carolyn Lee, PhD

    Being an anchoress, she 'sheltered in place' and developed a deep wisdom that she shared in her book, Showings, which was the first book in English by a woman. A theologian way ahead of her time, Julian develops a feminist understanding of God as mother at the heart of nature's goodness. Fox shares her teachings in this powerful and timely and inspiring book.

    With its ability to connect us to the energy of creation and elevate us to a higher state of consciousness, Kundalini awakening is crucial to the deepening of our spiritual evolution. But the deep spiritual unfolding that Kundalini offers can also be confusing and difficult to grasp—so how can we approach this universal power with preparation and wisdom?An Essential Guide for Navigating the Kundalini ExperienceIn Awakening Kundalini, Dr. Lawrence Edwards, who has devoted his life to understanding and teaching about Kundalini, presents an essential guide to harnessing this boundless energy. In six in-depth sessions, he offers a comprehensive exploration from the physical, psychological, and spiritual perspectives, with insights and practices for recognizing what Kundalini is, how it manifests, and when your body and mind are ready to initiate an awakening of consciousness. "You are born with Kundalini," says Dr. Edwards. "You just need the right conditions to unfold it." Through seven hours of teachings, learn how to open to the freedom of awakening while avoiding the pitfalls, misunderstandings, and projections that are so often a part of the spiritual journey."Kundalini reveals the divine nature of the entire universe and every being within it-and shows us our true capacity for limitless compassion, connection, and love," Dr. Edwards teaches. Join him to discover how to tap into this profoundly transformative force, and through Awakening Kundalini, realize your ability to live "radically free."HighlightsThe soul's yearning for transcendence and freedom• The three upayas (means) that support Kundalini ascent• Cultivating "witness consciousness"—the ability to watch without judgment whatever arises and dissolves in our lives• Using the vibrational power of mantra to unfold Kundalini energy• The importance of discernment and healthy boundaries when it comes to spiritual practice• The unlimited ways in which shaktipat, the descent of grace, can reveal our true nature• The body's chakra system and its role in Kundalini awakening• Our shadow sides, and how Kundalini can illuminate the darkness that hides our talents and lures our ego-mind• Telling the difference between sat (what is true) and asat (what is not true)

    Its scale is epic in scope, beginning with why some people feel a spiritual calling, like a secret, inner instinct that leads them to the path of awakening. How the sixth sense can directly plug you into real spiritual experiences, the creation of God, and what is the mystical state called Multi-Dimensional Consciousness (where you can be aware of multiple dimensions in your waking state) and more. It demonstrates how paranormal phenomena, metaphysics, and spiritual discovery are all combined for true awakening. If you have ever felt there was a greater purpose or meaning to your life, if you have felt a calling but could not understand what it was - this is the Navigator. This book helps you understand and connect to the Navigator and reveals why some human beings are destined to ultimately seek it out. It provides the missing link to your own personal revelation and awakening.

    Rumi lived the quiet life of a religious teacher in Anatolia until the age of thirty-seven, when he came under the influence of a whirling dervish, Shams Tabriz, and was moved to a state of mystical ecstasy. One of the results of this ecstasy was a prodigious output of poems about the search for the lost Divine Beloved, whom Rumi identified with Shams. To symbolize this search, Rumi also invented the famous whirling dance of the Melevi dervishes, which are performed accompanied by the chanting of Rumi's poems. Professor Schimmel illuminates the symbolism and significance of Rumi's vast output and offers her own translations of some of his most famous poems.

    Jacky has interviewed some of these women, from different races and religions, whose suffering has remained invisible within society. From the woman who was neglected and abused by her whole family as a child to a teenage girl fighting against a forced arranged marriage, these stories are diverse and moving and sometimes without a happy ending. Invisible Women is a reminder that women are still vulnerable to abuse and control, but it also shows the remarkable inner resources by which they can survive.

    As in other areas of social sciences, some Muslim thinkers and scholars have developed an amazing skill for the unthinking repetition and blind copying of Western, non-Islamic ideas and practices. “In the Lizard’s Hole” is a Prophetic epitaph that describes this activity very well. Some Muslim psychologists insist dogmatically on prying even into lizard’s holes that have been partly or totally abandoned by their Western counterparts. But do Muslims really need modern psychology at all? Is modern psychology wholly Western? Is there a way in which it could be reconciled with Islam? These burning questions lie lurking behind the dilemma of Muslim psychologists.

    This book invites you--no matter what your practice may be--to access the treasure chest of Islamic spirituality, particularly Sufism, and use its wealth to strengthen your own journey.The riches include guidance drawn from the Qur'an, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and Sufi poets such as the thirteenth-century Rumi on cultivating awareness, intentionality and compassion for self and others. This book also features entertaining wisdom teaching stories, especially those of Mulla Nasruddin, Islam's great comic foil, to expand the mind and heart. It breaks down barriers to accessing this ancient tradition for modern seekers by dispelling myths about the Muslim faith concerning gender bias, inclusivity and appreciation for diversity.Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, you will find these gems worthy additions to your own treasure chest within.

    Sufism is the poetry and mysticism of Islam. This mystical movement from the early ninth century rejects worship motivated by the desire for heavenly reward or the fear of punishment, insisting rather on the love of God as the only valid form of adoration. Sufism has made significant contributions to Islamic civilization in music and philosophy, dance and literature. The Sufi poet Rumi is the bestselling poet in America. But in recent centuries Sufism has been a target for some extremist Islamic movements as well as many modernists. The Garden of Truth presents the beliefs and vision of the mystical heart of Islam, along with a history of Sufi saints and schools of thought.In a world threatened by religious wars, depleting natural resources, a crumbling ecosystem, and alienation and isolation, what has happened to our humanity? Who are we and what are we doing here? The Sufi path offers a journey toward truth, to a knowledge that transcends our mundane concerns, selfish desires, and fears. In Sufism we find a wisdom that brings peace and a relationship with God that nurtures the best in us and in others.Noted scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr helps you learn the secret wisdom tradition of Islam and enter what the ancient mystics call the "garden of truth." Here, liberate your mind, experience peace, discover your purpose, fall in love with the Divine, and find your true, best self.

    "Now I am forty and realize that I could have found the Tao in Jesus." This is an intriguing book that reveals how Zen philosophy parallels the core message of the gospel. It is the spiritual side of Zen, the art to trust and accept life that coincides with the core of the Gospel message. For power, dogma and doctrine were not Jesus' passion, but the mystery of life and the possibility of love. Sometimes people have overlooked the joy, the humor and the depth of Jesus' teachings—often because they could not surmount the narrow confines of openness to the scripture's power to transform our lives.

    As for hell, it's far out of proportion to any sin we might have committed and makes a travesty of God. But what if the afterlife was something very different? The key to such knowledge is mediumship. Three decades of research have taught the author, a world expert in the field of death and afterlife studies, who the most reliable voices are. These accounts are far better developed and more plausible than anything found in the world's scriptures or theologies. We hunger for a reliable revelation telling us that life here and now is meaningful and good, that each of us has an important part to play in its proper unfolding, that we are accountable for all we do, and that the godless materialism all around us is a pathological mistake. The world ahead, unlike ours, is fascinating and fair. Authentic mediums may be the closest thing to the voice of God that our planet has.

    Insightful, thoughtful and thought provoking!” —Azar Nafisi, New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran“A beautifully written, immaculately researched meditation on the impact of the Prophet Muhammad on the modern world. I loved this book!” —Reza Aslan, author of No God but God and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of NazarethA six-year-old cries in his mother’s arms as she draws her last breaths to urge him: “Muhammad, be a world-changer!” The boy, suddenly orphaned in a tribal society that fears any change, must overcome enormous obstacles to unleash his own potential and inspire others to do the same.Fusing details long known to Muslim scholars but inaccessible to popular audiences, Mohamad Jebara brings to life the gripping personal story of Islam’s founding prophet. From his dramatic birth to nearly being abducted into slavery to escaping assassination, Muhammad emerges as an unrelenting man on a mission. Surrounding the protagonist are dynamic women who nurture Muhammad; Jewish and Christian mentors who inspire him; and the enslaved individuals he helps liberate who propel his movement.Jebara places Muhammad’s life in a broader historical context, vividly evoking the Meccan society he was born into and arguing that his innovative vision helped shape our modern world."This excellent biography presents a unique and personal perspective." —Booklist"Accessible... Those looking for an introduction to the life of the Islamic prophet would do well to start here."—Publishers Weekly“This book is truly unique—in its enchanting prose, reverent secularity, and thought-provoking revisionism. For anyone curious about the amazing life and legacy of this seminal figure, this book is highly recommended—even for those who think they already know it well.” —Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow at Cato Institute, author of Reopening Muslim Minds“A vivid and beautifully written book that is both inspiring and well-researched. Readers will be in awe at how Jebara describes the Prophet Muhammad’s many inspiring and overlooked acts in service to humanity – as an entrepreneur, philosopher, statesman, husband, humanitarian, and father, among other roles." —Dr. Craig Considine, author of The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View"A rare literary treat...Jebara treats his namesake, the prophet Muhammad, as a human and historical figure, distilling a wealth of compelling information while deftly treading sensitive ground.” —Nadim Shehadi, Executive Director, Lebanese American University Academic Center, New York“A religious icon long shrouded in both myth and stigma at last receives the biography he deserves. Jebara’s mastery of classical Arabic and Islamic scholarship enables him to reveal an authentic human narrative of Muhammad’s life.” —Captain Barbara Helms, first female Muslim military chaplain in the British commonwealth“Jebara, a once-in-a-generation elucidator, brings his namesake’s visionary spirit to life as never before. Offers an inspiring portrait of Islam’s founder that serves as a vital tool for enhancing interfaith coexistence.” —Jason Guberman, American Sephardi Federation“Jebara spotlights the many women who mentored Muhammad, including his mother, his wife Khadijah, and Barakah—the slave he emancipated at age six. Erudite and poetic, the narrative immerses readers in the Prophet’s life, leaving them craving to know more. A must-read.” —Rana Bokhari, former head of the Manitoba Liberal Party“Via Jebara’s soaring prose, readers join Muhammad on an epic life journey that transforms how they view the world.” —Rev. Father Andre Boyer, Former Superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate“Scholarly yet accessible, this book touches the heart and the mind--helping advance peacemaking our world so desperately needs.” —The Venerable Mavis Brownlee, Archdeacon in the Anglican Church of Canada (retired)“Brings this icon to life as never before.” —Prof. Stuart Chambers, University of Ottawa"This book will transport you to an ancient time, yet you will sense human emotions as contemporary as our own. This book inspires us to be world-changers." —Rev. Takouhi Demirdjian-Petro, first Armenian woman minister ordained in Canada by the United Church.

    Drawing from the best in both classical and contemporary discussions, the authors examine religious experience, faith and reason, theistic arguments, the problem of evil, Reformed epistemology, miracles, and religious language. They also treat subjects not often included in competing texts, such as process theism, religious pluralism, religion and science, and the relationship between religion and morality. The third edition retains the engaging style and thorough coverage of previous editions and also takes into account the latest contributions in the field by such thinkers as Plantinga, Alston, Martin, Murphy, Dembski, M. Adams, and Swinburne. Integrating a variety of perspectives, it adds a chapter on the openness of God debate, several sections on feminist concerns, and frequent comparisons of how Eastern religions compare with Western theism. A sophisticated yet accessible introduction, Reason and Religious Belief, 3/e is ideally suited for use with the authors' companion anthology, Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings, 2/e (OUP, 2000).